Not sure what to do

[Rod Tucker]

After my GP yet again cancelled my 6-monthly (now yearly) review, I gave up on testing and insulin injections - I also have quite severe clinical depression.
I felt quite OK for some time but, 2 months on, I am tired, constantly thirsty and wanting to urinate frequently, particularly at night.
Getting an appointment with my GP surgery is a nightmare. My GP - the practice diabetic expert - has no spare appointments for a fortnight. Emergency appointments are only available if one can phone at exactly 8.30am but they are always miraculously gone even if I can get through.
I really don't want to go back to the "3 tests, 2 injections" regime but what else can I do?
Some sage advice would be nice.

 

[Copepod]

You really need to discuss your entire health, including diabetes and depression, with a GP. How and why was your annual review appointment cancelled? If that GP is unavailable eg illness, holiday, study leave etc, then make an appointment with any GP, or one who specializes in mental health, if there is one. Explain it's urgent, even if not an emergency, and need is caused by cancellation, when you phone.

 

[pav]

My first thought would be to look for an alternative GP practice that if possible can other you the diabetic support you need, or try and get transferred to a hospital care team though I found that pretty hard to achieve but I got there in the end.

With your symptoms your levels could and are more likely running very high and would suggest you test to see what you are currently running at. If running very high you need some urgent help in getting your levels down or even ringing 111 to see what they say if your levels are running high. On the testing point I would of thought being on insulin you would need to test more than 3 times a day, to see how well or not it's working.

In your own health interests I would be testing and taking insulin as needed, as the complications of diabetes can be far reaching, had the T shirt when a previous GP practice offered very little diabetic support.

 

[Kaylz]

IMO you really NEED to get back to a GP, as pav says your symptoms and the fact you have stopped taking your insulin indicates your bs levels are quite high, I really hope you can get the help and support you need from a Dr and/or diabetes team, Good Luck hun 🙂 x

 

[Rod Tucker]

You really need to discuss your entire health, including diabetes and depression, with a GP. How and why was your annual review appointment cancelled? If that GP is unavailable eg illness, holiday, study leave etc, then make an appointment with any GP, or one who specializes in mental health, if there is one. Explain it's urgent, even if not an emergency, and need is caused by cancellation, when you phone.

Why cancelled? Because it's what they do. I have to book unpaid time off from work in advance to go to appointments, so the routine cancellations are a pain in the backside. They can however manage to close the whole practice to film episodes of "Dr Foster" while claiming not to affect "the patient experience". The receptionists do not understand "urgent" or "desperate" and will always say that there are no emergency appointments left and to try again tomorrow at 8.30. One assumes that the plan is that you either get better or die so the GPs don't actually have to work.

 

[Rod Tucker]

My first thought would be to look for an alternative GP practice that if possible can other you the diabetic support you need, or try and get transferred to a hospital care team though I found that pretty hard to achieve but I got there in the end.

With your symptoms your levels could and are more likely running very high and would suggest you test to see what you are currently running at. If running very high you need some urgent help in getting your levels down or even ringing 111 to see what they say if your levels are running high. On the testing point I would of thought being on insulin you would need to test more than 3 times a day, to see how well or not it's working.

In your own health interests I would be testing and taking insulin as needed, as the complications of diabetes can be far reaching, had the T shirt when a previous GP practice offered very little diabetic support.

Have always - for the past 20 years - been advised to test 3 times daily. I have been to both of the other GP practices in town and was not impressed by either. One doesn't operate an emergency system - you just turn up and hope for the best. Neighbour of mine was there for 5 hours, then they turfed her out and closed the doors. I ended up driving her to A&E where she was admitted and stayed for 6 weeks. The receptionists at the other were far too busy organising their social lives to bother with someone trying to register.

 

[pav]

Sounds like your GP's are like some of the ones around me, it is getting harder to find decent ones with a good reputation and care in illnesses like diabetes.

If you have test strips handy I would certainly do a test now to see how your levels are.

I was seen by the hospital nurse for the first time last month and what a difference in her approach (maybe i was lucky or they are good). My latest DN at the old practice (newly qualified) was of the opinion that as a type 2 one does not need to test even when on hypo causing meds, which is so wrong in that you need to test to see what's going on. Even worse espec if you drive you are going against DVLA's guidelines in that you have to test before driving and every 2 hours while driving, mine was saying only test if going on long journeys. The hospital DN was a bit shocked at this approach and handed me a leaflet re-enforcing DVLA's guidelines and testing.

 

[Rod Tucker]

Sounds like your GP's are like some of the ones around me, it is getting harder to find decent ones with a good reputation and care in illnesses like diabetes.

If you have test strips handy I would certainly do a test now to see how your levels are.

I was seen by the hospital nurse for the first time last month and what a difference in her approach (maybe i was lucky or they are good). My latest DN at the old practice (newly qualified) was of the opinion that as a type 2 one does not need to test even when on hypo causing meds, which is so wrong in that you need to test to see what's going on. Even worse espec if you drive you are going against DVLA's guidelines in that you have to test before driving and every 2 hours while driving, mine was saying only test if going on long journeys. The hospital DN was a bit shocked at this approach and handed me a leaflet re-enforcing DVLA's guidelines and testing.

Oops! Sort of forgot about the DVLA guidelines. Not been carrying my kit around for several weeks now but will try to raise the enthusiasm - depression suppresses the urge to take any interest in anything - to test when I get home.

 

[trophywench]

For starters you can help yourself by limiting the amount of carbohydrate - from every source - that you are consuming and at the moment at the very least, drink more plain water in an attempt to help try and flush out the excess glucose in your body.

Any activity you can build into your normal day will also help - both with your physical symptoms - as you use more energy which uses more glucose - and your body also becomes more sensitive to whatever insulin it gets whether from your poor ole pancreas or the injected variety - and also the inside of your head. Excess glucose affects your brain in a similar way as lack of it (Hypo) does - it becomes tired and it's an effort to even think. Exercise actually gives us more of those endorphin thingies - the things that cause the 'feel good' factor.

You've got yourself into a vicious circle - and it's up to you to step out of it now.

Accept the challenge !

 

[Ditto]

Rod Tucker Illegitimi non carborundum, you have to rally and look after yourself, don't rely on that useless lot. Take the advice of all of the above. (((hugs)))

 

[pav]

Would totally agree with Ditto, unfortunately years ago I was in a similar position and it cost me 2 years off work with stress which is similar to depression, it took time and determination to overcome the illness, but it can be done. What was just as bad was my original GP practice which I had been with since day one ended up not caring for type 2 at the least and support was hard to come by. In the end it was self determination to get things sorted out and take control of myself and find an alternative practice.

I have forgotten the time frame of the events and on the diabetes front looking back I should of acted a lot sooner with a good kick up my backside and I could of avoided or at least reduce the complications I have now. With the stress it sort of crept up on me and never even noticed it was creeping up on me. One day I drove into work parked up and then just drove out again in a state I would not like to be in again. A decent doc can be of help, but the starting point has to come from ones self.

 

[Rod Tucker]

Thanks to everyone. Very much appreciated.
Got home yesterday around 6pm. Test result was 23.7. Had a snack before going out to a Parish Council meeting (yes, it is an exciting life!) and injected 140units of Novomix30. Got home around 9.30pm. Tested again - 16.3. Injected 70 units of Novomix 30. Little sleep due to pain from trapped nerve in wrist.
Tested again 7am today - 7.4. Did not inject. Forgot to take kit to work but - miracle of miracles - I have a GP appointment late afternoon. Couldn't get one myself but my boss gave the practice manager a bit of a talking-to.

 

[grovesy]

Thanks to everyone. Very much appreciated.
Got home yesterday around 6pm. Test result was 23.7. Had a snack before going out to a Parish Council meeting (yes, it is an exciting life!) and injected 140units of Novomix30. Got home around 9.30pm. Tested again - 16.3. Injected 70 units of Novomix 30. Little sleep due to pain from trapped nerve in wrist.
Tested again 7am today - 7.4. Did not inject. Forgot to take kit to work but - miracle of miracles - I have a GP appointment late afternoon. Couldn't get one myself but my boss gave the practice manager a bit of a talking-to.

Good for your boss.

 

[Rod Tucker]

Good for your boss.

There's a reason why she's known as She Who Must Be Obeyed

 

[trophywench]

Oooh! - trapped nerve won't be doing your BG much good either - pain = inflammation = increased BG.

 

[pav]

Thanks to everyone. Very much appreciated.
Got home yesterday around 6pm. Test result was 23.7. Had a snack before going out to a Parish Council meeting (yes, it is an exciting life!) and injected 140units of Novomix30. Got home around 9.30pm. Tested again - 16.3. Injected 70 units of Novomix 30. Little sleep due to pain from trapped nerve in wrist.
Tested again 7am today - 7.4. Did not inject. Forgot to take kit to work but - miracle of miracles - I have a GP appointment late afternoon. Couldn't get one myself but my boss gave the practice manager a bit of a talking-to.

Like the 7.4 compared to the 23.7 as the high reading would cause a fair bit of pain for me. Good for your boss and her active support in getting you an appointment.

What I also find helpful and don't know how many others do this, is I have two meters which one stays in the house and the other is carried around with me, when I swap coats I swap all the goodies over like the meter, emergency sweets and a pack of 3 fruit biscuits. As I recently changed docs again and the meter they support is different to the old one, I rang the manufacture and asked if they could give me two new ones (same manufacture of old meters) and they were chucked into the post free of charge. Some docs will also supply the meters free as well, in my area they tend to support only one or two meters with test strips and have had no problems getting two meters of the docs in the past.

 

[Grannylorraine]

Glad your boss managed to get you an appointment. Please look after yourself, I know it is frustrating when the people meant to help us are not there for us, and I understand the feelings that come with depression (I am currently having my meds for depression lowered). If you start getting your diabetes under control again, you will have something to feel proud of. I hope the docs treat you kindly today and listen to you.